Lockdown 3.0 Tips

Here we are again for the 3rd time during this coronavirus journey! 

During the first lockdown in March/April of 2020, I was furloughed until the end of August, luckily for me, as Lockdown 1 was not pretty site for me, during Lockdown 2.0 and for Lockdown 3.0 I’ve also been able to go into work so far.

We all know that the handling of Covid-19 within the UK, has been a bit of a patchwork quilt, and decisions being made at the last minute.

So I thought for today’s post, I’d give some of my tips to help you through lockdown and time away from work. 

Tips that I wish I’d had in March. (These are no means clinically approved, these are just what worked for me during lockdown 1.0, as I struggled a lot!)

1. It’s ok to feel not ok! This is the first thing to remember! This is a stressful situation for everyone, and I know from personal experience, that sometimes all you want to do is cry, and that’s ok, and honestly perfectly normal! We can’t all be robots and it can be more stressful repressing your emotions.

2. Have a routine. During the first lockdown, as much as I would have loved to have gotten up whenever I wanted, I found myself needing a set time to get up in a morning and a specific time to have lunch etc. I also found that this helped with my mental health.

3. Find something to do. It doesnt matter what it is, having something to keep your mind working and focusing on something else, will help alot!

During the first lockdown, I kept myself occupied by drawing, painting and reading.

I’m not the best at drawing and painting, but it allowed me to use my brain and to think about something else for a couple of hours out of the day.  Here are some of my creations from lockdown 1.

I love reading and I read some books that I'd been wanting to read for a long while, but kept putting off. Such as finishing off the Stalking Jack the Ripper series which I's started 2 years ago, and had the subsequent sequels, but not read.

I also started a HR course, as another means to keep me occupied, and now that I’ve finished it, it also allows me to add another qualification to my CV!

4. Keep in touch with family and friends. I know this may seem obvious, but by keeping in touch you’re not only helping your mental health, but also theirs. They may also be feeling like lockdown is too much, but by having a chat on the phone or video call it can really help. Even doing a Zoom pub quiz can also provide some levity in an otherwise bleak time.

5. Get out of the house! As we’re allowed out of the house for exercise, do get out of the house! During the first lockdown, I took Barlow, our dog, out for walks or I went on singular walks around local trails. Getting out of the house and getting fresh air and concentrating on where you’re going was a big help for me and helped to settle the major mood changes I had.

Here are some photos of some of my walks I completed in lockdown 1.

Please tell me some of your tips for getting through lockdown or if you agree or disagree with any of my tips!

As always keep safe!

Vanessa 😊